Boundless dark golden mist surged and weaved between bizarre and grotesque structures, as if without end. Among the grandiose and alien buildings stood an enormous, majestic, and eerily imposing double-spired palace, its towering peaks piercing the sky and vanishing into the dark golden mist, exuding an overwhelming aura of majesty.
The palace was constructed from black stone, its surface adorned with intricate carvings and magnificent murals, swirling with strange symbols that radiated the power and glory of giants. Massive arches and towering spires evoked an indescribable sense of solemnity.
Inside the great hall, towering stone pillars loomed faintly within the dark golden mist, supporting a vast dome. At the deepest part of the hall stood a massive throne carved with mysterious patterns, resting atop nine stone steps. Below the steps, on either side of the hall, stood five high-backed stone chairs, each shrouded in dark golden mist. Beneath them, arranged in an eerie pattern, were forty-nine peculiar stone seats. The entire scene conveyed a sense of majesty, mystery, and a fusion of order and chaos.
Suddenly, a mournful wail echoed through the great hall, only to fade swiftly into the grandeur of the temple and the pervasive dark golden mist. Upon the nine-layered steps, atop the throne carved with arcane designs, a translucent figure formed entirely of dark golden mist writhed in agony, its anguished cries stirring the surrounding mist, which surged into its form. After an immeasurable length of time, the mist ceased its churning and settled, and the once-ethereal figure solidified, its cries gradually subsiding.
A weak murmur escaped the lips of the figure on the throne. Ren Yu had finally regained his sense of self amidst excruciating pain and mental chaos, clawing his way back to consciousness. As he surveyed his surroundings, even his strongest resolve shattered, and a curse slipped out. Gazing up at the dome wreathed in dark golden mist, he lamented bitterly, "Did I just transmigrate? Others get blessed with golden auras, but I end up in unbearable pain—without even a body! What kind of joke is this?"
Ren Yu hailed from 21st-century Earth, a university student brimming with ambition, ready to contribute to his nation's future. Yet before he could fulfill his aspirations, his life was cut short. He awoke to find himself in another version of Earth—eerily similar yet fundamentally different. The unfamiliar environment and world nearly crushed him. After a period of despair, he rallied and discovered that the literary works of his original world did not exist here. He resolved to use his knowledge to integrate into society, anticipating a life of luxury as a wealthy heir. However, during an ocean voyage to reminisce about his past, a tsunami struck. As he sank into the depths, his consciousness fading, an endless tide of dark golden mist surged from the abyss and swallowed him whole.
Now, Ren Yu slumped—or rather, floated—upon the colossal throne. Stretching out his faintly translucent left hand, formed of dark golden mist, he sighed in resignation. Though the influx of mist had brought unbearable agony, it had also stabilized his fragile soul. As a price for his suffering, fragments of information imbued with mysterious symbols had flooded his mind, revealing his current predicament: this was the "Nation of Disorder," one of the nine Sephirot separated from the Original Creator.
Wait—Original Creator? Sephirot? Nation of Disorder? Ren Yu felt as though his mind might explode again. "Did I transmigrate into 'Lord of the Mysteries'?" he muttered, a wave of despair crashing over him. Why, of all worlds—one so dangerous and sinister, with Outer Gods and ancient beings lurking in the shadows? And the gaze from the cosmos—oh no, I'm doomed.
After a frantic bout of panicked thoughts, Ren Yu realized nothing had happened. He forced himself to calm down and assess his situation. Based on his ordeal and the information conveyed by the dark golden mist, he was now inside the Sephirot "Nation of Disorder." Given the Sephirot's nature, it made sense that it could shield him from the perception of Outer Gods. But what exactly is my current state?
The Nation of Disorder was sealed in the Western Continent after the battle between the Celestial Worthy and God Almighty, remaining so until the end of the Fifth Epoch when Klein—the 'Cat-worm'—became the Lord of the Mysteries and unsealed it. Does that mean I'm trapped now? No way—aren't transmigrators supposed to be lucky? Why am I so unlucky? Wait, maybe the Celestial Worthy and God Almighty haven't awakened yet. There might still be hope. But right now, I can't do anything. Heavens, have mercy on this poor non-Protagonist!
Suddenly, the boundless dark golden mist churned violently, and a deep, authoritative voice reverberated through the hall: "Interesting." Ren Yu, still slumped on the throne, jolted in shock. Strangely, though he had never heard the voice before, he understood its meaning.
"Who are you?" Ren Yu sprang to his feet, scanning the surroundings—yet aside from the mist-shrouded hall, there was nothing.
"God Almighty. The Creator. The Omniscient and Omnipotent. Lord of the Astral Realm," the voice replied, cold and imperious. "To think this Sephirot has merged with such a peculiar soul. Who are you? Why do you bear no mark of the Original Creator?"
Ren Yu's mind raced. God Almighty, Lord of the Astral Realm—so this is the First Epoch, when both He and the Celestial Worthy have just awakened but not yet fallen. Damn it, the Visionary pathway is under His control—has He already read my thoughts? No, if He could, He wouldn't need to ask. He mentioned 'merging'—does that mean my fusion with the Nation of Disorder grants me some trait that resists mental probing? Possibly. The 'mark of the Creator' must refer to the spiritual imprint left after the Original Creator split. Of course I don't have it—I'm from another world. But how should I answer?
In a flash of thought, Ren Yu looked up at the mist-veiled dome and spoke, "I don't know either. I was caught in a shipwreck, sank into the ocean, and was swallowed by this endless dark golden mist before arriving here. Respected Lord of the Astral Realm, do you know what's happening?"
After an agonizing silence, the voice responded, "Variables may herald turning points. The instinct of convergence dictates that I must eventually clash with the Mysteries. Yet your future is shrouded in mist—even I cannot foresee it. Truly fascinating."
As the majestic voice echoed through the hall, an indescribable radiance pierced the dark golden mist, enveloping Ren Yu. Through the breach in the mist, a figure composed entirely of light stood silently. Streams of brilliance flowed from it, merging with the dark golden mist and materializing into a ring and a scepter, which landed beside the throne atop the nine steps.
"As you are now, you lack the rank and strength to truly merge with a Sephirot. But with my aid, your soul—unmarked by the Original Creator—can forge a deeper connection over time, allowing you to gradually assimilate and control this Sephirot without succumbing to madness. Once you attain the necessary rank, you will fully command it."
The cold, authoritative voice lingered in Ren Yu's ears. Before he could respond, the light enveloping him expanded uncontrollably, forming a vortex that voraciously devoured the surrounding dark golden mist. Amidst layers of illusory whispers and soul-rending agony, his consciousness slipped away.
The light dissipated. The dark golden mist surged and coalesced, swallowing the enormous, grotesque double-spired palace once more.